Able Friend Ready For Hong Kong Mile

Trainer John Moore is confident that 2014 Hong Kong Mile favourite Able Friend is at peak fitness for the Group 1 event at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Joao Moreira steered Able Friend to victory in the 2014 Jockey Club Mile in the lead-up to the Hong Kong International Mile. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett

Able Friend started his preparation with a fourth place finish behind Aerovelocity in the Group 2 The Premier Bowl (1200m) at Sha Tin on October 26 before she stamped himself as a clear favourite for the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) with a dominant victory in the Group 2 Jockey Club Mile (1600m) at the same venue on November 23.

Moore told Sky Sports that Able Friend had taken plenty of improvement out of his win in the Jockey Club Mile and he said that the Shamardal gelding will have one more piece of light work before the Hong Kong Mile this weekend.

“Able Friend will go on the grass on Thursday over the back and we’ll keep him on nice flat ground, so we don’t upset his hind quarters,” Moore said.

“”It was a phenomenal run last time and we thought he was underdone.

“I don’t need to do much more with him.

“I put him down the back over the grass the other day because it had rained on the dirt track and I didn’t want the same problem with his hindquarters that he had earlier in the season.

“He did that and he’ll do it again on Thursday.

“He’s ready to rumble!”

Able Friend made his racing debut in Australia in 2012 under the care of Team Hawkes and was transferred to the Moore stable after he recorded a maiden race win at Wyong.

The five-year-old made his Hong Kong racing debut with an impressive win at Sha Tin in June of last year and he recorded two more wins before he made his debut at the highest level of racing with a narrow win over Designs On Rome in the Group 1 Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) at the same venue on January 19 this year.

Designs On Rome turned-the-tables on Able Friend in the Group 1 Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) at the same venue on February 16 and was a close second behind his rival again in the Group 1 Hong Kong Derby (2000m) before he returned to winning form in The Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) at on April 6.

Able Friend is currently available at 2014 Hong Kong Mile odds of $1.80 and is a clear favourite from Gold-Fun ($6), Ambitious Dragon ($10) and Glorious Days ($10) in the betting market with Ladbrokes Australia.

About The Author

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.